Socket casing



Sept 17, 1929.

E. J. CURREN SOCKET CASING Filed 001:. 22. 1928 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 PATENT QFFlCE EDWARD J, CURREN, OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT SOCKET Application filed October 22, 1928.

This invention relates to an improvement in casings for incandescent lamp-sockets and has for its object the provision of simple, reliable and readily-releasable couplingmeans for separably uniting the shell-member of such a casing to its complementary cap or mounting-member and constructed with particular reference to preventing the insertion or removal of bulbs from releasing the coupling-means.

With this object in view, my invention consists in a. socket-casing comprising a shell member and a complementary cap--mcmber, each provided with inter-engaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation therebetween and one of which is formed with an annular groove; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an internal annular groove adapted to regi ter with the first-mentioned groove; and a ring-like spring releasable by a rotary movement of said coupling-ring and adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together.

My invention further consists in a socketcasing characterized as above and having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a socketcasing constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged-scale broken view in vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged-scale transverse sec tion on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 but showing the position of the parts after the coupling-ring has been given an almost complete revolution to disengage the ring-like spring from the complementary couplinggrooves of the shell and coupling-ring;

5 is a detached view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the cap-member;

Fig. 6 is an underside view thereof;

Fig. 7 is a detached view partly in side ele-- vation and partly in vertical section of the coupling-ring;

CASING Serial No. 314,036.

Fig. 8 is an underside view of the coupling ring;

Fig. 9 is a detached view in side elevation of the shell-member of the casing, together with the ring-like spring; and

Fig. 10 is a top or plan view thereof also showin the socket proper within the shell.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a socket-casing comprising a tubular shell and a domical cap 16 which are united by a coupling-ring 17 and a ringlike spring 18 in a manner to be fully described.

Near its upper edge the shell 15 is formed with an annular groove 19 semicircular in cross-section and adapted to partially receive the said ring-like spring 18, the inner end of which latter passes through an opening 20 into the interior of the shell where it is formed with a loop 21 through which a screw 22 passes to secure it to the socket 23 properly housed within the said shell 15. As is usual in devices of this kind, the socket 23 is insulated from the shell 15 by means of a tubular jacket 24 of insulating material, through the wall of which the inner end of the ring-like spring 18 passes, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Upstanding from the upper edge of the shell 15 is an integral couplingiinger 25 1 1 which is adapted to enter any given one of four (more or less) coupling-notches 26 formed in the out-turned annular flange 27 of the domical cap 16, so as to prevent relative rotation between the same and the shell 15. The cap 16 is also provided with the usual upstanding internally-threaded sleeve 28 by means of which the socket-casing is mounted in a fixture.

The coupling-ring 17 before mentioned is sleeved over the flange 27 of the cap 16, as well as over the upper end of the casing 15, and when it is in its home position, its inwardlyturned flange 29 rests upon the upper face of the flange 27 of the cap. The said couplingring is formed with an internal annular groove 30 semicircular in cross-section and, like the groove 19 in the casing 15 with which it registers, is adapted to partially receive the ring-like spring 18. On one side the skirt of the coupling-ring 17 is pierced to form a short horizontal slot 31 between which and the under edge of the cap a vertical tangential slot 32 is formed.

In assembling my improved socketcasing, the cap 16 and shell 15 are brought together, so that the upstanding coupling-finger 25 of the latter will be entered into one of the coupling-notches 26 in the flange 27 of the said cap. The coupling-ring is now sleeved over the flange 27 and over the upper end oi"; the shell 15, the vertical slot 32 having been previously aligned with the now outwardly-extending spring 18 (see Figs. 9 and 10), so as to permit this sleeving movement.

With the cap 16, shell 15 and coupling-ring 17 positioned as just above described and as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the said coupling-ring is turned counter-clockwise, with the effect of drawing in the spring 18 and positioning it in the annular grooves 19 and 30 of the shell 15 and coupling-ring 17 respectively. The parts will now occupy the positions in which they are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

As thus assembled, the cap and shell 16 and 15 are firmly held together against axial displacement by the spring 18 and coupling-ring 17 while relative rotation between the said shell and cap is prevented by the entry of the upstanding coupling-finger 25 into one of the coupling-notches 26, so that, when a bulb is screwed into or out of the socket 23 within the casing, the cap and shell will be firmly held against being turned one wit-h reference to the other or from being axially separated.

When it is desired to disassemble the cap and shell, the coupling-ring 17 is turned clockwise from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, with the effect of causing the spring 18, which is initially bowed so that when it is in place Within the grooves 19 and 30 it is exerting a constant eifort to expand, to thread out through the horizontal slot 31 and bringing the vertical tangential slot 32 in line with the said spring near the inner end thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The coupling-ring may now be slid Vertically upward off the upper end of the shell 15, together with the cap 16; this being permitted by the clearance-slot 32.

While I have shown the inner end of the spring 18 extending into the casing 15 and secured therein to the socket 23, it is obvious, Without illustration, that the same may be secured to the Shell-member 15 if desired, without departing from my invention.

I claim: v

1. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember and a complementary cap-member, each provided with inter-engaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation therebetween and one of which is formed with an annulargroove; an independentlyrotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove; and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shellmember and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from said grooves by a rotary movement of said coupling-ring.

2. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember and a complementary capmember, each provided with interengaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation therebetween; an annular groove formed in the said shell-member near the upper end thereof; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove; and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from the said grooves by a rotary movement of said coupling-ring.

3. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember and a complementary cap-member; a coupling-finger upstanding from the up per edge of the said shell; a notch formed in the said cap-member and adapted to receive the said coupling-finger for preventing appreciable relative rotation between the said shell and cap members; an annular groove formed in one of the said members; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove; and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from said grooves by a rotary movement of said coupling-ring.

4. A socketcasing, comprising a shellmember and a complementary cap-member; a coupling-finger upstanding from the up per edge of the said shell; a notch formed inthe said cap-member and adapted to receive the said coupling-finger for preventing appreciable relative rotation between the said shell and cap members; an annular groove formed in the said shell-member near the upper edge thereof; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the firstmentioned groove; and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member 35:

together against axial separation and releasable from the said grooves by a rotary movement of said coupling-ring.

5. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember and a complementary cap-member, each provided with interengaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation therebetween; an annular groove formed in the said shell-member near the upper end thereof; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove, and with a horizontal slot arranged in line with said groove; and a ring-like spring carried by the said shell-member and adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from the said grooves by a rotary movement of the said coupling-ring.

6. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmernber and a complementary cap-member, each provided with interengaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation therebetween and one of which is formed with an annular groove; an independentlyrotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove. and formed with a vertical clearance-notch connecting its lower edge with the said annular groove: and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from said grooves by a rotary movement of the said coupling-ring.

7. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember and a complementary cap member. each provided with interengaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation therebetween; an annular groove formed in the said shell-member near the upper end thereof; an independently rotatable coupling-ring provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove, a horizontal slot arranged in line with the said groove, and a vertical clearancenotc-h connecting the said slot with the lower edge of the coupling-ring: and a ring-like spring carried by the said shell-member and adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from the said grooves by a rotary movement of the said couplingring.

8. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember formed near its upper end with an annular groove; a cap-member provided near its lower end with an upwardly-facing shoulder; interengaging means for preventing preciable relative rotation between the said shell-member and cap-member; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an internal annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove and also formed near its upper end with an inwardlyturned flange adapted to engage the shoulder of the said cap; and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from the said grooves by a rotary movement of the said coupling-ring.

9. A socket-casing, comprising a shellmember formed near its upper end with an annular groove; a cap-member provided near its lower end with an upwardly-facing shoulder; interengaging means for preventing appreciable relative rotation between the said shell-member and cap-member; an independently-rotatable coupling-ring provided with an internal annular groove adapted to register with the first-mentioned groove, a vertical notch extending between the said groove and the lower edge of the coupling-ring, the said coupling-ring also formed near its upper end with an inwardly-turned flange adapted to engage the shoulder of the said cap; and a ring-like spring adapted to enter both of the said grooves for coupling the shell-member and cap-member together against axial separation and releasable from the said grooves by a rotary movement of the said coupling-ring.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

EDWARD J. CURREN. 

